President Obama walks off stage after speaking at the "SelectUSA Investment Summit" on Thursday. A poll released the same day found that the president's job approval rating had reached an all time low.
Evan Vucci/AP
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Speaker of the House John Boehner leaves after discussing the government shutdown with his fellow Republicans on Capitol Hill Saturday. Boehner reportedly told his colleagues that talks with the White House had ended without a deal.
Andrew Burton/Getty Images
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Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and other senators rush to the floor for a vote in July. Roberts faces a 2014 primary challenge from a distant relative of President Obama's.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
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President Obama walks out to deliver remarks on the economy at the White House on Monday. At the beginning of his news conference, Obama commented on the shootings at the Navy Yard.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
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Iran's President Hasan Rowhani, who was elected in June, has exchanged lettes with President Obama, the U.S. leader said in an interview that aired Sunday. Here, Rowhani speaks to Iran's Parliament in Tehran.
Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
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A sliver of moon rises behind the Capitol dome in Washington, D.C. While Congress has shown signs of life this spring, its veritable hibernation has left plenty of room for states to experiment with policy.
Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images
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As with other recent presidents, Barack Obama is disliked and distrusted by roughly half the public. But some of his perceived failings may be the result of an inflated expectations game that all modern presidents must play.
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
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